The old wing of the Imperial Hotel Tramontano that houses the birthplace of Torquato Tasso |
Tasso was born on 11 March, 1544 in a house at the side of Piazza della Vittoria, which is now a wing of the elegant, four-star hotel.
Tasso travelled about in Italy constantly during the 51 years of his life but came back to Sorrento towards the end to visit his beloved sister Cornelia at a time when he was in deep trouble.
Because of its beautiful location in pretty gardens and overlooking the bay of Naples, it is not surprising that the Imperial Hotel Tramontano has provided inspiration for other famous writers who have stayed there since.
It is believed Milton and Goethe once visited the historic building and, more recently, the hotel has accommodated American writers James Fennimore Cooper and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
The Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen is thought to have written Ghosts while enjoying a long stay at the Imperial Hotel Tramontano in the mid 19th century.
The present day hotel, which dates back to 1812, lies in a peaceful setting, hidden away from the main street of Via Vittorio Veneto in beautiful gardens. Guests can enjoy the views of Vesuvius across the bay and superb sunsets while sipping a drink on the Tramontano’s terrace.
The famous song Torna a Surriento was composed by Neapolitan poet and artist Giambattista de Curtis on that very terrace in 1902.
The hotel has large, elegant reception rooms decorated with paintings and antique furniture. The old courtyard and garden have rare Mediterranean and sub tropical plants as well as local flowers and citrus trees.
The luxuriously furnished guest bedrooms and suites either have views of the sea, the courtyard or the gardens.
There is an outdoor swimming pool with its own bar, a 16th century chapel and an elevator to carry guests down to the beach.
The hotel restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, is under the direction of Alfonso Iaccarino, the owner of the famous Don Alfonso restaurant at nearby Sant’Agata su due Golfi.
Only a five minute walk from Piazza Tasso in the centre of Sorrento , the Imperial Hotel Tramontano is in an ideal position. Guests can enjoy the tranquillity of the setting but are within easy reach of Sorrento’s shops and restaurants as well as the port at Marina Piccola and the railway station in Piazza De Curtis to enable them to travel further afield.
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